


While In The Desert

by Lilyanna32



Category: Legend of Zelda, breath of the wild
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Gerudo Town, Humor, post calamity
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-09
Updated: 2018-03-09
Packaged: 2019-03-29 01:14:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13916220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilyanna32/pseuds/Lilyanna32
Summary: Link and Zelda travel to Gerudo Town for a visit. Some expected and unexpected things happen in and outside the walls of town. Some funny, some crazy, some unwanted.





	1. Chapter 1

While in the Desert

÷÷÷ Chapter 1 ÷÷÷  
Unwanted Antention

Traveling across the desert was awful. Zelda felt like her skin was melting off. It was so hot she couldn't even feel sweat on her skin. It seemed as if she had any sweat it evaporated before she could realize it was there. Zelda didn't know if she preferred that or not. Her boots sunk into the sand with every step. They couldn't bring their horses with them, not that Zelda would have. The desert was far too extreme for that type of animal.

They had stopped and rested in a small settlement half way from Gerudo Canyon Stable and Gerudo Town, Kara Kara Bazaar. There was an oasis in the middle. The sun was low in the sky as late afternoon settled upon them. Zelda took her boots off and stepped into the water. It felt cool and refreshing. She thought about submerging herself into the water but then her clothes would be wet, and she only had one pair with her.

Zelda turned around and stepped out of the shallow water. The sand was hot on her feet. She ran hissing in pain into the shade of a nearby palm tree.

"Be careful."

She heard from her left. Link was standing there with the hint of a smile on his face. Clearly he had just watched her do that, but he had held back the laugh she heard in his voice.

"I'm fine."

Zelda looked over to the water she had just made her way from. Her boots laid there in the sand. She couldn't get them without crossing the hot sand again. Oh well, her legs hurt so sitting down for the first time in hours felt great anyway. She'd just relax in the shade for now. She could ask Link to get them for her, but for some reason she didn't want to.

She laid back on the ground and closed her eyes, not caring if she became covered in sand. Not that she wasn't already. A minute later she heard two soft thuds as her boots appeared next to her. Link stood on her right. Of course, he would do that. She thanked him.

"I'll go get some food for us, princess."

Her eyebrows narrowed. She'd told him repeatedly to just call her by her name, she sighed.

"Alright."

A few minutes later he came back with some hydromelon and sand blanket, thin tightly woven material for sitting on. He laid it in the shade and Zelda moved to sit on it and he joined her. Taking a knife from the supply pouch he carried he started cutting the fruit into small pieces. Zelda grabbed one and took a bite, it was sweet and juicy. They ate slowly enjoying the delicious fruit.

"I reserved two beds for us for the night in the inn. We should rest early so we can leave early in the morning. It won't be so hot the earlier we leave for Gerudo Town."

"Good idea." Zelda said reaching for her boots.

Early the next morning they got up and ate some breakfast. The sun was hardly breaking the horizon when Link and Zelda made their way out. The trek there was a lot more comfortable than it had been yesterday afternoon. By mid morning Gerudo Town was in sight, it wouldn't be much longer before they got there.

Outside the walls of Gerudo Town a traveler informed them that only women were allowed inside. Zelda was aware of this fact as Link was. She had come here to visit. She hadn't been to been to Gerudo Town since before the Calamity. Link sat underneath the tent set up on the front wall.

"Enjoy your visit, Zelda." He said.

"Thanks."

One of the guards guarding the main entrance greeted her.

"Sav'otta. Welcome to the Gerudo Town."

Zelda repeated the greeting with a smile before she walked inside. The main square opened up right in front of the entrance. Zelda remembered being here many times before the Calamity had struck, and she was still quite taken with the desert village. The special air of peace that she remembered still resided inside these walls. She heard quiet music playing from somewhere. On both sides of the open center square of town were outdoor shops set up. Zelda walked around town and checked out what each shop keeper had to sell. Everyone was kind and polite and nobody addressed her as "princess." They didn't seem to know who she was and it felt strange that they didn't. Her whole life she had been known as her title, always recognized and respected as someone who was higher than everyone else. But she realized something else as well, she enjoyed being treated like a normal person. Being seen and talked to casually as if she were just another traveler in town felt really nice.

She came across a clothing shop with a large sign above it with the words "Fashion Passion" hung above the door. She was greeted by a woman who introduced herself as Saula, On two walls of her small shop was a collection of Gerudo clothing. Handmade tops, sirwals, and veils. They were of mostly the same style but there were many different colors to choose from. Zelda looked through the selection and considered heavily on buying an outfit. It was so hot outside, wearing pants and her usual long sleeved top felt like torture in the heat. She no longer had the white dress she had owned before, as it was ruined and stained. It would feel so much better to walk around in more airy clothing.

So she bought a red and dark purple set. Saula let her change in the back room of her shop. Putting it on she realized just how little material there was to it. She stood in the small room looking down at herself and immediately felt extremely self-concious. She felt almost naked. The short top didn't even reach her belly button but at least it hid her cleavage. The sirwal went just below her knees. It was so revealing but that was normal for Gerudo clothing. Showing so much skin was the usual. Gathering up her normal clothes and folding them she walked out of the back room. The shopkeeper turned around and saw her.

"That looks great on a beautiful vai like yourself." She said, using the gerudo term for "woman."

"Thank you." Zelda said as she felt her cheeks go red.

Before she left Saula hooked her up with a pair of sandals to complete her outfit as well. Zelda thanked her again with a smile before leaving.

"Sarqso. Have a lovely day."

Zelda walked to the center of the main square. Her stomach growled loudly, it had to be about lunch time. There were many outdoor shops that sold food here. Zelda thought about what she wanted to eat and wondered if Link was hungry too. Actually, she wondered what he was even doing. There wasn't much outside town except the desert. Curious and not really wanting to eat without him she went back out the main entrance of town.

Link was sitting on top of a crate under the sun tent they'd parted at. She heard him laugh at something a male traveler was saying. The other man was talking excitedly while sitting on a sand blanket. Zelda walked up to them and the stranger noticed her first. He paused in the middle of his sentence with his mouth open. It took Link a couple more seconds to look over and see her standing there.

Link had been enjoying a story a fellow traveler had been telling him about the crossdressing man at Kara Kara Bazaar. Apparently he had been found out when on one of his trips into Gerudo Town. The guards inside had chased him around for several minutes before catching him. A loud ruckus had been heard outside the walls. Bozai, the man he was talking with, had witnessed them throwing him out into the sand. He said it had been hilarious to watch. Link wished he had gotten to see that.

The man before him stopped talking suddenly and his eyes popped out of his head as he looked to the side to Link's left. He followed the man's line of sight and felt his heart skip when his eyes laid on what he found. Who he saw, rather.

Standing there in colorful Gerudo outfit was none other than the woman he was traveling with. Zelda. Her outfit left little to the imagination. His mouth dropped open a second but he clamped it back shut quickly. He was shocked to see her wearing something so revealing. This was far less clothing than he had ever seen her wear. She was wearing a top that showed her belly button leaving her mid-drift completely exposed. Her top connected to a necklace in the middle. Two thin gold chains hung down over her belly and connected to the waistband of her sirwal. She had a pair of sandals on instead of her boots as well. She held her regular clothes in her hands at her sides.

Wow. She looked so beautiful. Not that that was anything new, Zelda was always beautiful. But right now it was if Link was seeing her in a whole new light.

"I'm back. I was wondering if you were hungry."

He watched as her cheeks grew red as she stood there. Her green eyes looked back at him and he saw her eyebrows lower above them.

Link realized he'd been staring at her and she had definitely just noticed. He blinked and adverted his eyes slightly to the wall just to the right, and swallowed to clear his now dry throat.

"S-sure. We can eat lunch now."

A couple seconds passed and the Zelda cleared her throat and Link looked back in her eyes. But she wasn't looking at him. Her eyes were staring at the man sitting on the ground below the crate Link was sitting on. Looking at the guy he had been talking with before she showed up he noticed that he was giving her quite the look. His eyes were practically bulging out of head, his mouth was in a grin and his cheeks were red. He was staring at her intensely. His eyes went up and down her body and he let out a low pitched laugh. The sound irked Link.

He could understand why the guy was staring. That he got completely as Zelda was quite the attractive woman, but he didn't like the way he was doing it. Link glanced at Zelda and saw that she was giving then man a dirty look and had her regular clothes and boots held up in front of her body.

"Hey. Knock it off. Show her some respect and stop drooling like a pig."

Link said. Bozai ignored him completely. His grin got even bigger. It made him sick to see other men stare at women in a degrading way such as this, as if they were some sort of toy or prize. Like this freak was looking at the Princess of Hyrule right now.

Link's blood began to boil.

"Hey cutie. How about you and I go some place fun together. I know a great place not too far from here where we could go."

Link got down off the crate and stood in front of him. Bozai leaned to the side as if he didn't realize that someone was the reason he could no longer see the pretty girl in front of him.

"I suggest you knock it off." Link said loudly, his voice was full of disgust and fire.

When Bozai didn't respond or even look at him, Link lifted his foot and shoved his boot into the creep's chest. The man fell backwards into the sand with a shriek. He finally took notice of Link in front of him and yelled.

"What the hell, man!? What's your problem?"

Bozai said scrambling to his feet. He gave Link a nasty glare as if he had been the one doing something so degrading.

"Get lost. She's not interested." He said with a dangerously low voice.

"Pfft. Get out of my way you little punk, I think the lady can speak for herself."

"I'm only warning you once."

Link said reaching back and putting his hand on the hilt of his sword. The perverted pig's eyes followed the action and then looked back into Link's murderous glare. He raised his hands up in front of his chest and stepped back several feet in surrender.

"Okay, okay! I'm gone. Just relax, man."

He said with a high shaky voice. Link could see fear in his eyes before he turned and ran off the opposite direction. Letting go of his sword Link let go of the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. It was a good thing the man had the brains to back off, he wouldn't have hesitated teaching him a lesson. Link had never used his sword on another person to scare them off or hurt someone, but he knew that he would have done whatever it took to get him away from Zelda.

It was a shame really, the guy seemed to be alright when he had been talking to him before Zelda came over.

"The world is full of nasty, disgusting people. You can't trust anyone."

Those words popped into his head. He remembered someone telling him that once. He couldn't remember who, but the words were certainly true.

Turning around he saw the princess staring at him. A moment later she smiled and he felt the same warm fluttering in his chest he always did when he saw her beautiful smile.

"Shall we eat then?"

He said. Zelda giggled and nodded. What's funny? He thought as he turned to the small pack of supplies they brought with them atop the crate.

Zelda stepped over beside him. She put her extra clothes and boots down. They enjoyed some fruit that they had brought with them. Zelda knew she would have to go in and buy them some more food later. But for now a snack would satisfy her hungry belly.


	2. Mortification

÷÷÷ Chapter 2 ÷÷÷  
Mortification

Zelda was disgusted by how that man had been eying her. What a pig. When Link had jumped down and stood in front of him she was grateful. Not that it had really helped the pervert's behavior. It had been interesting to watch the whole situation go down. She watched silently as he got rid of the man. Zelda had never seen Link act so defensive toward anyone before. This was a whole new side of him she hadn't seen. His voice had sounded so dark and dangerous as he spoke that she had felt the chill of his words. He'd actually threatened to draw his sword. That shouldn't have surprised her as much as it did. It was his job to protect her in any scenario.

Zelda had an idea just then. A really crazy one. She shook her head and held back a laugh. No. There was no way that would ever happen. Because what she had thought was pretty ridiculous. She didn't even know where she got the idea from. For some reason, she had just pictured Link wearing an outfit like what she currently had on. He'd never go for that and she knew it. But Zelda found the idea so funny as she kept thinking about it that she ended up laughing out loud and putting her hand over her mouth. Link raised his eyebrows at her.

"What's so funny?"

"I had a ridiculous thought. That's all."

"Mind humoring me?"

Zelda blushed. He was going to laugh at her. Well, maybe? She really had no idea what he would do if she told him. He might get mad. Shrugging, she decided to let him in on her inner thoughts.

"Well, this crazy idea just popped into my head. There is a way that you could go in. But I'm sure you wouldn't do it."

"Yeah?"

She nodded. "I thought you could dress up as a woman. In clothes like this." She said, gesturing to herself with her hands.

Link's jaw dropped and he looked so utterly appaled by her statement that she started to laugh. His expression was priceless. He didn't say anything. She decided to entertain herself some more.

"Would you do that? It's so hot out here and you must be dying of heat. I can see you sweating."

Link looked away from her for a minute. She couldn't read his expression. When he did speak she was shocked at his answer. She couldn't believe he was saying what he did.

"I…guess I could. Its not like I want to stay out here alone and I would like to go in. But not because its all ladies! I just…I mean...um...it would be nicer than out here.."

Zelda giggled at him. She couldn't help it. His cheeks were actually red for once and he sounded so awkward. He never explained himself like this. So it was interesting to hear him do so. She'd never gotten such reactions out of him until today. She waited for him to say he was kidding or something, but he didn't.

"Wait...Are you sure you're okay with that? I won't make you do something you don't want to."

"Yeah. It's okay."

He didn't sound very sure of himself as he answered. She felt uneasy for a second then shrugged that feeling off. He seemed to be serious right now. Zelda knew she wouldn't get another chance like this. Oh, she knew it was wrong but some part of her really wanted to see him dressed up in Gerudo clothing. She tried not to smile. She didn't want to ruin this one in a lifetime chance.

"I'm going to buy you an outfit then." She told him before turning and walking away before he could take his words back.

Link stood there watching her walk away.

Oh, god. What did I just do?! What's wrong with me?!

He had actually told her that he would dress up like a woman and she took him seriously. Link was horrified that those words had come out of his mouth. What was he thinking?! And then there was with all the awkward explaining of himself. But he didn't want her to get the wrong idea. But she probably did get the wrong idea anyway. Or multiple ones. You know like thinking he likes dressing up in women's clothing, or he was some sort of pervert, or anything else.

But mostly, Link started to lose his cool for a whole different reason. He leaned against the wall behind him and put his hand to his forehead. Damn it. He had promised himself he would never do that again. Truth was, he'd been to Gerudo Town before. By himself. He had had to get inside somehow to talk to the chief about the Divine Beast walking around in the desert. When he had to retake control over it so he could use its power to weaken Calamity Ganon. He shook his head. He couldn't believe he was going to do this again.

But he didn't have to. Zelda had said that she wouldn't make him do something he didn't want to do. But damn, if she came out there with another outfit and looked at him with her big green eyes he knew that he would end up doing it. She had a special effect over him. Only the princess could convince him to do things that he wouldn't do otherwise. Like the time she had stuck a frog in his face because of it's medicinal properties. He didn't actually remember it happening, but it had been one the memories that had come back to him randomly as he traveled across Hyrule after waking in the Shrine of Resurection.

"Go on, taste it!"

He could hear her words echoing in his head. He had backed up and tried refusing doing that, but in the end he had done what she wanted. But only after she agreed to cook it first. It wasn't a good memory at all. But then again, she had been positively adorable right before that...He shook his head. He needed to stop thinking like that. That was exactly the sort of thought that got him into ridiculous situations with her. That had only been one of the many times he had succumbed to her charm. There had been a couple more times as they traveled across Hyrule together this time.

Link stuffed her belongings in the pack he had been carrying. Before long he saw Zelda walking towards him again. Link bit the inside of his cheek. She had something green and black in her hand.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" She asked.

I'm sure I don't want to. Link thought. But he didn't say that. The air around them was getting really hot. He hadn't been happy walking across the desert yesterday in the middle of the day. And now it was afternoon and that same melting heat was back. He couldn't deny he didn't want to stay out here. He wanted some cold water, and he knew he couldn't get that out here. He'd have to go in to get out of this heat. He didn't even need her pretty eyes to accept defeat this time.

"I don't mind."

The words seemed to burn his throat on the way out. He was going to regret this.

"Alright. If you're sure."

Zelda held out the clothes to him. He took them and closed his eyes for a second.

I'm losing my mind. I can't believe I'm going to dress up as a woman again. And I'm doing it in front of her.

"We need to find somewhere you can change without being seen."

Zelda said quietly. He nodded. He told her about the ruins to the north of the town. Nobody was ever over there. The two walked past the guards and to the nearby ruins. Zelda stood on one side of a wall while Link stood on the other.

Zelda had gone back to the clothing shop. Saula was happy to see her again so quickly. Zelda told her that she loved the clothes so much that she wanted another set. So the woman gave her a discounted deal for buying another outfit. Zelda picked a green and black set of clothes including a veil. It was the least girly colors she could find and she bet that Link would appreciate that. She had a feeling he really didn't want to do this. But for some reason or another he had told her he would. She felt a little bad but she tried not to let it get to her. He had said those words himself. She wasn't making him do anything.

Waiting on the other side of the wall she bit her lip. She never thought he'd actually do this. Anticipation welled up inside her. She couldn't help but be excited to see him dressed up, even in female clothing. Link told her he was ready and walked around the other side. Zelda held her reaction back the best she could when she saw him. But one word popped into her head when she saw him. It was impossible for her not to think so. It really was.

Cute. He looked cute.

She smiled and saw his face start getting red. He looked down at the ground. It didn't help her brain to get that four letter word out of her mind as he did so. It only made her think so even more. Link held the veil in this hands and Zelda walked over and took it from him. He didn't look at her as she put it over his face.

"You should probably not walk over there with me. They've seen us walking together. The guards getting the idea that it might be you sounds really bad."

"Definately. I'll go to the side entrance over there."

He said, pointing. Link still wouldn't look at her. But Zelda understood. At least, she thought she did. With that, they split directions.

Link walked slowly to the side entrance of Gerudo Town. He was absolutely mortified. It was worse than he thought it would be. Standing in front of Zelda dressed as he was. He hadn't been able to keep his face from turning red. That was the worst part. He knew she saw that. She had been a foot from his face. Link was sure he'd never be able to look her in the eyes ever again after today. Worst idea ever. He couldn't believe he had actually gone through with it. Shaking his head, he walked into town.

It was the same as he remembered it. Link walked slowly through the back streets of the way too famillar town. He had spent a lot more time here than he would have liked. Not that being here had been extremely unpleasant. Honestly, it was quite peaceful in Gerudo Town for being full of all women. That was really the biggest shock to him considering that the women here weren't exactly...normal. They were all tough, confident, scary, six-foot-tall, red haired, muscled, could kick your ass easily, Gerudo women. Not that there was anything wrong with how they were, of course. But Link was never going to understand how they couldn't tell he was a man. Or voe, in their language.

Link took as long as he could walking to the main square of town. It was stupid and he knew that Zelda would probably get mad at him, but he kind of wanted to avoid her. On the way there, he found one of the small waterfall basins around the town. He stepped into it and let the water pour over his body. He let out a sigh as the cool water drenched him head to toe. He cupped some into his hands and drank it. It soothed his parched throat wonderfully. That felt better. It also felt great to not be covered in a thick layer of sweat anymore.

Finally, Link made it to the main square of town. He spotted Zelda without even meaning to. She was standing under the palm tree in the middle next to a goron. Wait...what? Why was there a goron here? Their entire race was male. Why did they let him in? Casting the question from his thoughts he made his way toward his princess. She didn't look very happy like he assumed. Oh well, she was just going to have to get over it this time. Zelda let out a sigh and put her hand on her hip when he stopped in front of her. He was glad that she couldn't see his face except for his eyes. He was trying not to laugh. If he were honest, a lot of the time she was quite dramatic. But he was used to that now.

"What do you want to eat?" She asked.

"Whatever you want, Zelda."

He usually made the decision on what they were going to eat. But he decided she could figure it out this time. He was fine with anything. Food wasn't something Link was picky with. He loved to eat. A lot. It didn't really matter what it was either, as long as it was something normal and edible.

"L-" She started, but didn't say his name. They hadn't really covered what she was to call him in town. It was obvious she couldn't just call him by his name. And Link was glad that she hadn't slipped up and done so on accident. There were a couple people here that would know his name.

"Fine." She said, answering him with a irriated tone.

They grabbed some meat and some fruits and vegetables from the shopkeepers she led them to. Zelda handed him the food when they stood in front of the cooking pots that were set up on the western side of town square. One of them was already lit, which was nice because Link didn't want to dig through their pack he was carrying on his back for some flint. He cooked up their food and the two of them sat down and ate. Neither of them spoke a word. It was the quietest meal they had ever shared. Normally Zelda had all sorts of things to say. If there was anything she was good at, it was talking his ears off. She never complained about his cooking though. In fact, he knew that she enjoyed the food he cooked for her.

A while later they were walking around. A Gerudo guard stopped them.

"You should visit the chief before you leave Gerudo Town. I'm sure she would love to meet you, Princess Zelda."

Link watched Zelda's face scrunch up in confusion. He wasn't sure what part of that she wasn't quite grasping. Then he realized that until now nobody had seemed to know who she was. Whenever they had stopped in a town, or even at stable, everyone seemed to know who she was. They always addressed her as princess. But today not one person they had passed by had. It hadn't even crossed his mind.

"I will, thank you." Zelda said giving the woman a smile.

The guard had told Zelda to go straight up the stairs across from the main entrance. Link followed her as she made her way there. The guards at the top let them in without question. They walked across the large throne room and stood in front of the Chieftain, Riju. The fact that she was so young and was the leader of the Gerudo still set Link off greatly. She was only thirteen. But he had learned quickly that she was capable of being a worthy leader.

Zelda introduced herself formally and Link as her traveling companion. She didn't say his name. Riju told her that it was a pleasure to meet her. The two girls talked for a couple minutes as Link continued to keep silent. He stood there with hope that Riju would either not recognize him, or she would keep the fact they had already met a secret. He did not want Zelda to know he had been inside Gerudo Town before. It was quiet in the throne room then as Link noticed Riju staring at him. She smiled and he knew that she knew it was him. He bit his lip behind the veil he was wearing. He didn't want to come in here for this exact reason. But he had to since Zelda wouldn't have approved of him staying outside and waiting for her.

Riju then cleared her throat and looked back to Zelda.

"I would like the two of you to come upstairs with me."


	3. Having Some Fun

\---Chapter 3---  
Having Some Fun

Zelda had not been expecting such a young girl to be the chieftain. Sitting on the throne was a girl who hardly looked old enough to be at most fifteen years old. But as soon as the girl had spoken Zelda had realized that she was someone who was certainly beyond her years. The way she spoke and held herself as she stood before Zelda gave her the aura of someone who was ready for such a position. Regardless of that however, Zelda was unable to shake the fact that she was younger than herself and had been named leader of an entire civilization. She knew when she was her age that she wouldn't have been ready to lead anyone. But Zelda hadn't exactly had the preparation for one becoming Queen of Hyrule. Most of her time had always gone to awakening the sacred power she had inside her. Her father had always pushed her to do that over anything else. Zelda understood why, but she wished that he had taught her more about ruling a kingdom. Sure, awakening her power to seal Calamity Ganon had been the most important thing back then, but it hadn't been the only thing she should have been doing.

The three of them stood in Riju's beautfully designed second floor bedroom. Standing before the small desk in front of the door she looked at Riju's huge bed and was surprised to hear the sound of water within the room. On both walls was one of small waterfall basins that Zelda had seen throughout Gerudo Town. The noise made for a peaceful atmosphere within the large room. As Riju turned and looked to both of her visitors, she was smiling a lot, Zelda noticed. Something was off, she could just tell. Did Riju know that Link wasn't a woman? If she did, why was she smiling about it? Zelda began to get nervous. She didn't want to make a bad impression of herself with the leader of the Gerudo.

Riju looked to Link beside her. Zelda looked between the two of them and noticed that Link's blue eyes looked nothing close to relaxed. This made her start to panic a little inside,instead of panicing he should have been trying to keep his cool. But on side note, Zelda did find it odd that he was expressing so much emotion as he usually kept up a calm, stoic demeanor. Link would be kicked out of town if Riju realized he was a man. This was so stupid, she shouldn't have ever brought this stupid idea up with him outside. She wished he had just said no.

"It's nice to see you again, Link. I was hoping you would visit Gerudo town again someday."

Zelda gaped between the two of them for several seconds. Riju glanced over at her and put a hand over her own lips as she smiled with a very amused look on her face. Zelda turned to Link and saw his eyes dart from her at that exact moment.

"Again?!"

"Well, uh…yes. I have been here before."

"You didn't tell her." Riju said to Link with a quiet snicker.

Zelda blinked. Why was this such a shock to her? Zelda realized suddenly she should have known he had been here before. Of course he had! He had obviously come to this town when he had been traveling the country to take down the divine beasts. How had he done that exactly? Before Zelda could ask Riju began to speak.

"Link snuck into Gerudo Town when he helped us regain control Divine Beast Vah Naboris. He is a welcome hero here, as long as of course he stays in disguise. The fact that he is the one who saved Gerudo Town before Naboris decided or didn't decide to come for us is a secret only I and my bodyguard Buliara are aware of. My people would not accept him into this town regardless. I knew he was a man right away when he came to see me, but it is totally okay. He is the secret exception to our strict "no voe allowed" policy. Lady Urbosa would have wanted him welcomed with open arms. I am sure of that with all my heart."

Zelda felt a dull pain in her heart at Urbosa's name. She had been closest to her when it came to the Champions. The woman had been like a wise older sister or sort of mother figure to Zelda. It was sort of strange to think of her that way, but it was how Zelda felt towards her. The memories of traveling with her and the other champions rushed into the thoughts. The cold guilt of what had happened when she had failed to awaken her powers in time before Calamity Ganon awoke filled her body. She wished that things had happened differently for the umpteeeth time, and that Urbosa, Daruk, Revali, and Mipha were still with them today. Standing in front Riju, Zelda felt guilt and sorrow as she bowed her head in shame.

"I am so sorry about Lady Urbosa, it's my fault she was trapped inside Vah Naboris when I failed Hyrule."

Riju stepped over to her and put a friendly hand in her shoulder. Zelda was confused by the smile that spread across her lips.

"Princess Zelda, I do not blame you. I'm told that Lady Urbosa always talked fondly of you. She would be proud of you and Link for saving Hyrule. You never failed us."

Zelda wiped an unexpected tear from her cheek. She couldn't help but be a little amazed by the girl's choice of words. Her voice had sounded strong as well.

"You loved Lady Urbosa didn't you?"

Zelda nodded.

"She was very dear to me. Urbosa was very amazing woman."

"That she was. I hope every day I can be a great of a chief to my people as she was."

"I'm sure that you will be one day. You're already walking in her footsteps, Chieftain."

Riju stepped forward and hugged Zelda.

"There's no need for formalities between us, princess."

"Well, if that's so then please do call me Zelda, Riju."

"Of course."

Riju had insisted that they spend the day with her. After some convincing to her guards and advisors that she could take one day to spend with a very special guest, they agreed. She asked Link and Zelda if they wanted to go sand seal surfing, Zelda said yes and Link nodded. Riju said she would meet them outside the main entrance after they got their sand seals. Zelda stood with Link and waited for the Chieftain. It was only a couple minutes before she came with Patricia, her personal sand seal.

Zelda had never done this before, she had never had time. But now she had a lot more time to do things, or at least currently. It would be a while before things went back to normal. There was a never ending list if things that she had to do and things that needed to happen before she would become Queen. Zelda knew that if she was going to take some time to have fun, she better do it now.

Frelly, the kind and enthusiastic girl who ran the sand seal rentals, had helped bring out the large creature before her. Riju had promised her that she would teach her the basics so Zelda listened to the girl give her the run down on sand surfing, Riju even demonstrated for her. Link surprisingly even chimed in as well with tips, clearly this was something he had done before.

Zelda took a deep breath and readied herself. She could do this, it couldn't be that hard. Riju and Link made it look so easy.

Taking the rope in her hands that connected to the sand seal's harness, and with a shield beneath her feet she told the animal to go. The rope nearly jerked out of her hand as she was tugged forward across the sand and Zelda was surprised she hadn't immediately went sprawling on the ground. She held on with her left hand as well as her right as the sand seal pulled her across the sand outside Gerudo Town. Frelly had set her up with a calm tempered sand seal when Zelda had mentioned this was her first time. She assured her that Zavia was her best behaved.

But when Zavia took a turn after going over a sand dune, Zelda lost her balance and went tumbling into the sand. She got a mouthful of dry, tasteless earth. Choking and gagging as she spit it out her eyes watered. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.

Link rode over and stopped beside her holding a hand out to help her up. She took his hand even though she didn't need or actually want his help, especially at this moment since she was quite embarassed, but being rude wasn't her way. Zelda had been raised to be polite and considerate her whole life, not that she always kept that demeanor up however. On more than one occasion she has lost her composure and snapped like a little brat at him, but Link always seemed to brush it off. She wondered if she ever got in his nerves, even if she was sure that he wouldn't show it either way. Sometimes she wished he would show how he was feeling inside, instead of being so emotionless. Maybe he would open up to her eventually.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Riju rode over to them with Patricia. She stopped and walked over. She asked Zelda if she was alright.

"Yes, I am, thank you. But, I really don't think this is something I was meant for."

"It takes a while to master riding a sand seal, Zelda. Don't worry, I wasn't much better when I started learning. Do you want to stop?"

Zelda shook her head. " I think I'll give it another shot."

"A trick to it is lean with your sand seal when it turns. Also, lean forward or back to maintain your balance. Try to relax your body as well, it helps a lot."

"Okay. I'll take that into mind."

Zelda picked up her shield and walked over to Zavia. She grabbed her rope once again after replacing the shield under her feet. This time she took Riju's suggestions and used them. A couple more tries later and a few wipeouts, Zelda could keep upright. She had gotten frustrated after hitting the sand that many times but now she was smiling as she got the hang of it. It wasn't so hard now that she had somewhat figured it out and she was actually having a lot of fun.

The other two surfed the sand dunes nearby. Zelda was glad that they hadn't been watching her. Or if they were, it wasn't obvious. Link and Riju looked like pros in the small distance. Zelda found herself watching Link in particular, he looked as comfortable doing this as he did when he wielded a sword. Come to think of it, there wasn't much he wasn't good at. Any weapon seemed to fit in his hand like it was meant to be there. He could fight with anything, even a bokoblin arm as if it were actually a practical weapon. Even when it didn't come to fighting he was exceptional with several other skills. One example was his skills in hunting, preparing, and cooking food. Everything he fed her tasted at least decent. Someday she would find out what his weakness was, he had to have one.

Zelda stopped sand seal surfing probably a hour later when she got tired and watched her guard and the chieftain have fun. She could hear laughing as Riju soared along the sand quickly, looking so carefree and happy. It had probably been quite a while since she had been allowed to do something like this. Zelda knew that leading the Gerudo was undoubtedbly a busy task and a huge responsibility for such a young girl, not that she was alone in doing so as Zelda was positive she had a whole council of advisors and mentors to guide her.

Soon Link and Riju came back where Zelda was sitting in the shade the sun tent provided. The man Link had scared off hadn't come back, but if he did Zelda figured she could take care of him. She kind of wished she had thrown the statements that had been brewing in her thoughts at the pervert. It would have felt great to express what she was feeling, but she had been completely distracted by how her guard was acting to even process a statement.

"I'm exhausted. I'm not very used to sand seal surfing now." Riju said with a light hearted laugh. "Did you not like it, Zelda?"

"Oh, I did! I just got tired. Walking across the desert took a lot out of me this morning. Sand seal surfing is quite enjoyable actually."

"Isn't it?" Riju said smiling. "I have another idea. This one is a lot more relaxing. I think you'll enjoy it."


	4. Unexpected Things

÷÷÷ Chapter 4 ÷÷÷

Unexpected Things

The two followed Riju to the east side of the main square. They walked into a low lit building with small desk across from front door. The woman smiled as she saw them come in.

"Vaasaq, Chieftain. What can I do for you today?"

"We would like the special spa plan today, Romah."

"For the three of of you?"

"Um...no thank you." Link said. Zelda looked at him in amusement when he raised the the tone of his voice. But she got it, obviously he couldn't sound like a man standing next to them.

"Are you sure? You could probably use it." Riju said to him, grinning.

He nodded. "You two enjoy yourselves."

Link walked outside and Zelda and Riju looked at each other before giggling in unison. Romah looked at them expectantly for an answer. Riju answered pulling a small gold wallet from a small bag on her hip and handing the woman sixty rupees.

"Just the two of us, Romah. Please and thank you."

"Alright. There is a vai waiting in line before you. You two may take a seat in the waiting room."

Zelda followed Riju to the left. They passed by couches with decorative pillows and tribal rugs on the floor, lanterns lit up the place with a warm glow, and various glass vases held green leaved plants. A connected room with three steps before it led to the waiting room. The girls sat on the couch inside. A woman came in and took a lady named Tauma for her turn.

"I wonder what he's doing." Zelda said quietly. She didn't need to be specific as there was only one person she could be talking about, Riju shrugged.

"Who knows. The massages here are heaven. Too bad she didn't want to stick around."

Zelda laughed. "Yeah. Her loss. We've been traveling every day for weeks. so she has to be tense and feeling quite rough."

"It's probably for the best, though. We would want any...unfortunate thing happening."

Zelda nodded, Link had done the best thing in their situation. He could have been exposed as a man if he stuck around with her and Riju.

It about thirty minutes before the Gerudo woman came in and told both girls to come with her. Zelda was confused as she brought them to a room through a door she hadn't noticed. Inside here, was a nicer room than the one before. A small chandelier hung from the celiing made of clear crystal looking gems, lit by several candles in the middle. Below that was two spa beds with drawn back curtains.

"Would it be alright for you both get the spa treatment in here together?" Romah asked.

Riju looked to Zelda. "Is that okay with you?"

Nodding, the princess answered. "I don't see why not."

The woman handed them both soft white towels and instructed them to remove their clothing covering the areas they'd like massaged and to lay on the beds before she left the room.

Zelda turned her back to the other girl and stripped her clothes off. This was the first time she had ever stripped in the room with another person, even another girl, well like this anyway. Royal fittings at the castle before the calamity were much different so Zelda didn't really count those. She removed her Gerudo top but left her sirwal on. She stepped out of her sandals as she wrapped the towel around her back before taking her place on the empty spa bed, Riju was already laying down on the opposite bed as she did.

"I've never done this sort of thing before, I feel embarrassed." Zelda said.

"Don't worry, Zelda. We're all girls here." Riju told her with a smile.

Romah returned with a second masseuse she introduced to Zelda by the name of Adra. The lady that came to Zelda's side greeted her warmly. She listened to the woman talk as she laid her head down on the bed while Adra poured some warm oil on her back. Adra's voice was soothing and Zelda felt a bit more at rest.

It really was heaven like Riju had said it would be. Zelda let out soft sighs as Adra kneeded and twisted out the kinks in her tight muscles, so was glad that Riju had brought her here. Adra also did her arms, shoulders and neck, undoing pinches and knots from muscles she didn't even know existed. Her skin was so dried out from the desert heat and sun, but whatever oils Adra used fixed that. Zelda hadn't felt so relaxed and refreshed in a long time. She closed her eyes with a smile on her face as she enjoyed the much needed massage. It reminded her a lot like the kind of treatment royalty at the castle received before the calamity. Often Zelda had spa days like this to relieve the stress she back then. She wondered if things would ever even be close to the way they were before the darkest day in Hyrule's History.

x.x.x.x.x

Link walked around town alone, just wasting time. The idea of getting a massage had sounded great, but considering the fact they were in Gerudo Town he decided against it. His thoughts went back to when Riju had brought them up to her room. He thought that Riju might have kept his secret but there she went bluntly telling Zelda all about how he had snuck into Gerudo Town in female clothing before. It shouldn't have surprised him so much. Her bodyguard Buliara knew, but Link was sure that Riju had been dying to tell someone else.

He just wished that someone else wasn't Zelda. The princess had sounded and acted so surprised to hear that news. But then again, how did she think he had accomplished reclaiming Vah Naboris? Maybe she hadn't been that surprised to learn he had crossdressed in this town before. He knew Zelda was smart. She had probably figured that much out beforehand. But Link didn't feel any less humilated.

Sand seal surfing had been a blast. Link had always loved riding across the desert. There wasn't anything like it. Maybe he could compare it to riding a horse, but being dragged behind a sand seal was a completely different experience. There wasn't really any similarities.

Honestly, Link had been glad to get away from the princess. He didn't like being dressed like this at all around her. So when they had gone to the spa Link had taken the perfect opportunity to get some time to himself. He walked aimlessly around and saw nothing he didn't see when he visited before, the town hadn't changed much at all. It was afternoon now, and shadows covered most of the streets as the sun lowered in the sky. He went to the bar and tried ordering a drink, but the older Gerudo woman turned him away saying "You look a bit too young to be in my bar, miss."

Being addressed as a woman didn't make him feel any better. He left the bar and went back to the main square where the shops were. He walked randomly into the jewelry shop, extraordinarily bored. A young Gerudo woman greeted him.

"Vasaaq. My name is Isha. If anything catches your eye, let me know."

Link looked at the assortment of jewelry. He knew that Zelda's birthday was in a couple days. He wasn't sure when he had learned when her birthday was, but he knew. Link felt like he should give her something, but he wondered if she'd even like any of this jewelry in front of him. He also had no idea if Zelda had walked in here earlier. He decided to ask, in a vague manner.

"Has a blonde hylian vai come in here today?"

He said in the same fake, high pitched voice he had used at the spa counter. The one he used and then saw Zelda's look of amusement when she had heard him. His face had gone red behind the veil again. For the hundreth time that day he was glad that she couldn't see his face. He was mortified and hadn't wanted to speak, but he had to.

"Nope. I haven't see a vai like that today. Are you shopping for a friend?"

Link nodded.

"Please take your time. Let me know if I can be of any assistance."

He looked at the amber, opal and topaz earrings. He wasn't sure if Zelda did wear earrings. Or if her ears were even pierced so he passed by those. He looked at the necklaces. All of them looked too fancy for a simple present. Too big or too gaudy. He didn't know her taste in jewelry but he didn't want to go too overboard.

"Would you be able to craft me a special order?" He asked Isha.

"Hmm...depends. Do you have the gemstone you would like in the piece?"

Link did in fact have one, it was a ruby. He asked Isha if she could make a necklace with a small pendant. Isha said she had the tools to cut the gemstone to a smaller and asked if there was any specifics he wanted. Link was unsure what to say, and Isha told him she could make it into a heart shape if he liked. He agreed on that as it sounded good and he didn't want to speak more than he had to. He pulled the rupees out of his pack and paid her.

"How long will it take?"

"About a hour. I'm pretty good at this. I do several orders a day."

"Thanks. It's going to be a present. I don't want her to know about it."

"Of course." Isha said with a smile."I will wrap it up for you when you come to pick it up."

Thanking her, Link left the shop. He wondered around the back streets of eastern Gerudo Town. Not very much was going on there. A few kids ran around playing and the sounds of laughter from the bar filled the street and Link wished again he had been able to get a drink. It would have helped put his nerves to rest.

Link went back to the main square and looked up at the waterfall behind the Gerudo Palace. Getting an idea, he climbed the wall and walked along the colorful stone water ways on top of the walls. When he got behind the waterfall along the back wall of town, he climbed higher and sat by the small pond below the water. High above the whole town, he could see everything in and beyond the walls. It was quite beautiful regardless of the lack of greenery that he loved. Being in desert was an extreme change for him, and not one that he enjoyed at all aside from sand seal surfing. He sat on the ledge and stared down at the town and soon enough, he saw Zelda and Riju down below. He couldn't hear them but both girls had smiles on their faces. Link couldn't remember the last time he had seen Zelda smile so much, for once she looked genuinely happy. He was glad especially after everything that had happened to the both of them. She deserved to smile, relax, and enjoy her life.

Link waited till they entered the palace before climbing down the way he came up. A guard gave him a dirty look when she noticed him climbing down from the waterway. He apologized and hurried past her making his way back to the jewelry shop. Isha was still in the back corner working on the necklace so he sat down on one of the couches in the opposite corner of the room. He waited patiently and leant back against the soft pillow as he sat, his eyes closed.

Soon Isha told him that she was done. Link got up and took a look at the necklace she had crafted. A small intricate heart laced with gold metal was held by a delicate chain. It was a beautiful piece and he truly hoped that Zelda would like it. Isha wrapped it in a white piece of silk and put it in a small red box. She wrapped a silver ribbon around it and tied it closed with a small bow.

"Thank you very much."

"You're welcome and Sarqso, it was my pleasure. I hope that your friend loves it."

Link buried the box in the very bottom of their pack, he definitely didn't want Zelda to find it. He wasn't worried about it getting broken inside the box Isha put it in. Before he left, the young woman stopped him.

"I recognize those eyes of yours, they're very hard to mistake. You're the vai that helped me with the flint a while back, aren't you?" He nodded. "Thank you very much for that. I don't know what I would have done without you."

"It was no problem."

Link left and made his way to Gerudo Palace. There was nothing more for him to do by himself. A guard told him that Zelda and Riju were upstairs in her room and to go on up, so he slowly made his way up the stairs and paused when he heard laughing at the corner of the chieftain's doorway just out of sight.

"I haven't enjoyed myself this much in so long, its so easy to be around you, Riju. Thanks for the spa day."

"No problem! You looked like you needed it and I just knew you would enjoy it. You probably miss royal treatment like you had the castle, right?"

"Its true, but I also don't miss the formality of it all. I remember the feeling of being constricted in the castle, always having so many eyes on me so many expectations and duties thrown upon me. If I'm honest, I hated it. I always wanted things to be different, and now they are and I just don't know how to feel about it. But more pressure is going to fall on me now, since as soon as I leave here I'll have to figure out how to restore the kingdom, and I don't know how I'm going to do that. I don't think I have what it takes..."

Zelda's voice trailed off at the end. Link heard Riju say something but she spoke too quietly for him to make it out. Link remembered a memory of his where she had opened up to him about her doubts that she was fit for her role, and how she felt in general about being the princess, all in a vague way of not saying it right out. She had asked him if he would haven chosen to live his own life differently if he realized he just wasn't meant to be a knight.

"What would you have chosen?"

He had been surprised to hear her talk that way and ask him his feelings, not that he remembered how he answered her that day. Anyway, it seemed like she still very much felt the same way, as if she wasn't good enough to lead Hyrule. Link wondered if she would have brought this up if she were in the same room and severely doubted it. He felt now as if he had heard something he never should have, something far too personal and showed too much vulnerability. He wished he hadn't eavesdropped on their conversation, as it was wrong and also incredibly inappropriate considering who's thoughts he was listening in on.

Their conversation changed into something lighter when Riju changed the subject so Link quit eavesdropping and walked inside her room. Zelda giggled at something Riju leaned over and whispered in her ear upon seeing him.

"Oh there you are! I wonder, what have you been doing?" Zelda asked him.

"Wasting time."

"You missed out on good massage. You really should have stuck around, Link."

Riju told him. Link just shrugged, that didn't matter in the slightest to him. She asked him to come take a seat on the edge of her bed so Link walked over and sat, reluctantly. Zelda turned on her knees and faced him.

"Tell me, are you feeling okay?"

Link stared at her not having an idea of what to say. Since when did she care about his well-being? Questions like that weren't something that ever happened between them, that would be crossing the invisible unsaid line in their strictly professional relationship. He was just her bodyguard, her personal knight technically, not that he was under any orders anymore to stay by her side. It wasn't like they were friends.

…Were they?

Did Zelda consider him to be a friend? He had never put any thought into it considering how little they talked. Well, she talked to him a lot but Link realized that he never said much to her. Maybe it was that she wanted him to open up to her, for things to be different than they were before the calamity.

Or maybe he was just overthinking this and it wasn't like that at all.

"I'm fine, princess."

Her nose scrunched up as her eyebrows narrowed, her green eyes staring him down. He had done it again, called her by her title instead of her name like she had requested him to do.

"Are you sure? I think you deserve some sort of special treatment for saving the world, don't you?"

Link shook his head. He didn't want anything more, didn't need it. He'd already had more attention than he would have liked with all the celebrations the Rito, Zora, and Gorons had thrown in their honor when they visited. What was Zelda getting at by asking that sort of odd question anyway?

"Well, I think you deserve something for all you've done."

"I feel like I've gotten more than enough praise for my accomplishments. I don't need anything more than that as it already too much."

Zelda sighed. "I'm not talking about praise here. I mean in general, Link, you've got to be at least a little tense, we've been on the road for weeks, and before that you traveled throughout Hyrule after laying in a stone bed for a hundred years."

"I'm sorry, but I'm not following what you are getting at." He said.

"Okay. Tell me the truth, do you hurt anywhere at all?"

He hesitated, not liking where this was going. "A little."

Zelda stood up and walked around to the side of the bed he was sitting on, so he stood up and met her eyes.

"Well, then you and I are going back to the spa, and you are getting a massage."

She said it like a command, as if he didn't have a choice in the matter. His eyes widened as she continued to stare at him and he knew that she was serious about this.

"W-what?" He said, grimacing afterwards at the stutter in his voice.

"You heard me, now let's go."

Zelda grabbed his wrist as she turned to the side and took a step, jerking him along with her. Link dragged his feet as he gently tried to pull his hand away, but she didn't release him so he was forced to take another couple steps forward. He planted his feet firmly to the ground making her stop walking and making their arms jerk.

"Zelda, think this through, you know I can't do this." He said.

"I don't care. I want you to do this."

"They'll know I'm not a woman."

He said gritting his teeth and holding back a growl in his tone, just barely. He heard Riju snicker so he looked to her, eyes pleading that she would stop the princess of Hyrule from making him do this. Riju laughed before speaking.

"They won't find out if you keep your clothes on. Don't you think that if you were going to be caught, it would have happened by now? Besides, nobody is going to think twice even with your physique as all Gerudo women have a more toned body than you do."

Link gaped behind his sirwal. Seriously?! That wasn't at all what he was expecting her to say. He looked back at Zelda, who was giving him a glare. He ignored the fact that her face was scrunched up in anger.

"Please, Zelda. Don't you think this is a bad idea?" He said, pleading with her. Any other time she had demanded that he do something, he had just done it without question since that was what he was expected to do. But it was different this time, she was going to too far even if she was the princess and her word was law.

"I can't go in there." He said, refusing to obey her for the first time ever.

"Yes, you can." She said, her grip tightening on his wrist. He could tell that she was getting mad, but again for the first time, he didn't care because he was starting to get mad as well. He tried to pull his arm from her grasp, which only succeded in making her stumble his way as a small look of shock flashed upon her face, and his resolve faltered slightly before he grounded himself.

"No."

He said, voice raised with anger. He had never used such a tone with her, as it wasn't something he was permitted to ever do, but this time she was being completely ridiculous. Her hand tightened around his wrist as she glared at him and he stared into her viridian eyes with the same intensity. The atmosphere in the room was palpable as princess and knight stared at each other with heavy scowls and lowered brows. Not that Zelda could see his scowl due to his veil he was forced to wear.

"I would shut up and do what your princess wants you to do."

Riju said quietly in the silence. Link could feel her eyes on the two of them. You should shut up and mind your own buisness. He thought, biting his tongue as not to say anything disrespectful to the Cheiftain of the Gerudo. That wouldn't help anything and as mad as he was at Zelda right now, he couldn't make her look bad in front of another world leader. But then Link realized that was exactly what he was doing, acting as he was. He couldn't be defying Zelda like this, at all, and especially not right now. Link broke eye contact with her as he forced himself to calm down taking a deep breath through his nose and letting it go slowly through his lips. Body relaxed once again, he took a step forward and nodded, looking back into her slightly less scathing eyes.

They walked out of the room silently as she released his wrist.

x.x.x.x.x

A couple minutes later they stood inside the spa, and Zelda smiled as she told the woman that he would be getting the special spa day massage after all, addressing him as "she" instead of "he." The woman nodded taking the rupees she held out, before saying he could come right back as nobody else was waiting. Link nodded and looked to Zelda briefly as she turned and walked out the door.

The woman brought him into a room showing him the massage bed, before leaving the room so he could remove clothing. There was no way he was doing that. Link he laid down on his stomach without taking a single item of clothing off, not even his shoes. Resting his head on the soft table, he closed his eyes and tried to relax which was hard considering his nerves were strung up more than ever now. Why had he fought against Zelda so much? Besides the obvious fact that she was being insane and making a man such as himself go somewhere he could potentially be found out, he knew it was wrong to go against her. The Princess. He knew better, and now he was sure that things were going to go south for him as she could certainly find great ways to punish him for making a fool out of her in front of the chieftain. But what would she do? He wondered, as the masseuse walked back into the room.

She asked if he wanted to remove any clothes and he said no, almost forgetting to raise his deep voice to a higher one as not to raise suspicion with her. Shrugging, Romah, as he remember was her name, poured some hot oil into her palm before rubbing her hands together and placing her hands on his back. He willed himself to relax even thought it was damn near impossible at first, but once her hands started to rub hard circles into his shoulder blades he settled down.

It felt...nice.

Link didn't actually know what to expect when he laid on this massage bed. He had never had anyone massage his back before, and certainly not in a low lit, herb scented room such as this inside a spa. He closed his eyes again as he let out a grunt as the knot he had right above his right shoulder blade was released. That spot had seriously been bothering him for the past week, and damn did it feel great for it feel better now. He let out out a involuntary sigh as Romah found another similar knot, and then more and more of them.

"How long has it been since you've had some work done to these muscles of yours?" Romah asked, her voice a mix of curiousity and disbelief. "You have the tensest back I've ever touched. You may need some cracking."

Link didn't answer, he was sure he couldn't make himself make his fake girl voice if he tried at the moment. He shrugged his shoulders in response and just laid there, letting the masseuse work her magic.

Goddess Hylia, no wonder girls love getting these. It's incredible to have your back massaged. He thought happily.

"This would be much easier if you would just remove your top." Romah said after a short while.

Hell no. Link opened his eyes and stared at the wall on the side of the room. He raised his tone of voice to speak so she wouldn't press that matter.

"No, thanks. Just... get where you can...please." He said feeling extremely awkward.

Romah chuckled before she pressed down firmly on his back suddenly a loud pop was heard, making him jump and jerk his head up off the bed. It hurt at first, but then that pain faded away and he felt that part of him feel great. Romah made a few more pops on his back and he groaned in pleasure before kneeded her fingers into each spot with expert touch. Her hands moved to his neck and shoulders removing knots from there was well, before his legs and arms which he was a bit nervous about but didn't move regardless telling himself to act normal.

Romah announced that she was done then, and he felt a bit dissapointment as her hands left his skin but he smiled anyway. He reached up to make sure his veil was securely in place still before pushing himself up on his hands and getting off the bed.

"Thank you."

"You're very welcome, you must feel much better now." She laughing loudly.

Link just nodded. He walked out of the spa feeling strange. He half expected to see Zelda somewhere outside the building, but she was no where to be found. He assumed she probably went back to Riju's room or something, and he knew deep down that he actually preferred that. He didn't go back up where the girls were right away. Instead he walked through an archway leading to the back streets of town before finding the dead end around a corner with the waterfall basin in it. It was quiet and shady back here, the perfect place to be alone and think. He had a lot to think about, considering the "fight?" that he had with Zelda just before going to the spa. He knew why he had fought with her, something could have gone terribly wrong. But that was the thing, nothing had. He could have been found out,but he hadn't been, everything had been fine so now he just felt like an ass. He'd have to apologize to her.

And also, he'd have to thank her. He may have been against getting a massage in the first place, but now he felt better than he had in several months. He was actually grateful she had forced him to do this.

x.x.x.x.x

Zelda was furious that he made such a scene. Sure, she knew that it was stupid idea to make him go the spa. Sure, she knew the risks and what could happen. But she knew that nothing was going to go wrong! She thought back on her actions in Riju's room as she walked into the western part of Gerudo Town trying to cool her head. She could have been a little nicer to him, maybe not have grabbed his wrist and pulled him after her like that. She could have explained her decision to have him do such a thing, she supposed, and perhaps she should have.

She didn't know what possessed her to get so mad at him. Really, what did she have to get mad about? He had only been shocked and now that she thought of it, rightfully defending himself. He was supposed to listen to her and do what she said, but lately she had been thinking about that. She didn't just want him to be a mindless servant. Zelda didn't have anyone else she knew before the Calamity, not counting a couple members of the Sheikah tribe. Now that she thought about it, all she wanted was someone to talk to. Someone she didn't have to be serious around, that she could just openly express her thoughts with. Not that she didn't sometimes with him, though.

Zelda talked to Link all the time. It was often so silent on the road she thought she would lose her mind. So she would often just start talking about random things. Like the stable people they saw from to time, how tired she was or how bad her legs hurt from walking, pointing out the pretty flowers that they passed by, how pretty the sunset was, talking about the plants that had medicinal properties and so on. But he never really said anything back. Sure, maybe a few words here and there, but he never gave his opinion on the things she said. It was rather annoying and made her nerves stray on end.

Perhaps he didn't feel that he could. Zelda hated that thought for popping into her mind, but maybe it was true. She remembered something he once said a hundred years ago, maybe a couple months before the Calamity struck. She even remembered writing it down. She couldn't remember his exact words, but he had expressed that he felt that he should be silent and bear any burden thrown his way. A new possible meaning to that formed in her thoughts. Was she a burden to him? Did he feel that she was something that he rested upon his shoulders and he had to deal with no matter what? Perhaps he was silent because he hated her.

Zelda hoped that wasn't the case. Surely, that couldn't be why. It had to be his duty to her, and he thought that he shouldn't interact on a personal level. He was her personal knight, her bodyguard, her protector.

He was never meant to be her friend.

x.x.x.x.x

The peaceful and quiet atmosphere of Gerudo Town changed that evening, with everyone invited to the main square for a feast and celebration for the Princess of Hyrule. Music played loudly now, performed by a couple of young women, their performance perfectly entertaining as many of the women of the town danced and enjoyed themselves. The smell of deliciously seasoned meat wafted through the air along with a wide variety of fresh fruit, vegetables, and cultural dishes being prepared.

Zelda walked around with Riju talking to several women and being formally introduced. A lot of the women she met apologized deeply for talking to her with such casual conversation if she met them earlier, to which Zelda just laughed and assured them that it was fine. She explained she didn't expect anyone to know who she was, and it was actually refreshing to be treated as a normal Hylian woman. Link was off somewhere else, but Zelda didn't mind. He probably enjoyed the free time to himself after dealing with her all the time. The princess knew she could be a handful, and she was more than willing to let him spend the rest of their time in Gerudo Town as he pleased.

Riju explained to both of them earlier that the celebration wasn't only for Zelda and her accomplishments, but for Link's as well, even if he couldn't actually be recognized as a man by her people. He thanked her, repeating again that he didn't want the praise anyway.

"Oh, I got that message loud and clear earlier in my room." Riju had said with a laugh.

After the two girls got some food they sat down on the steps leading up to the throne room, a little ways away from the commotion of the last minute celebration. As they talked freely and laughed Zelda felt a connection to Riju, and felt a cold feeling in her heart knowing that she would be leaving the company of the laid-back, mature for her age, young leader beside her. It was nice to talk to another female like this, just openly expressing her thoughts and even talking about the disturbance in Riju's room to which Riju had a lot to say about.

"That was very amusing to watch pan out between you two. He wasn't as uptight when he came here a couple months ago. He seemed hmm...happy, about being able to do something for us here in Gerudo Town. His eyes were brighter and voice was less of the monotone that it has been the couple times you guys have talked in my presence. He really seemed like a different person today with you."

Zelda blinked. Really? She was curious to hear more. "Is that so? He's always so quiet around me. He rarely ever speaks to me unless I speak to him first. There's a barrier between us. I don't want it to be like that..I want him to talk, express emotion, act like a person instead of a silent shadow at my side. I want to know who he is, who everyone tells me he is..."

"Well, then you should bring it up with him. He's not going to know how you feel unless you say something, Zelda."

x.x.x.x.x

Link sat outside the walls of town, sitting at the very back where nobody could see him and would even less likely even come around to. He removed the annoying headpiece he had been forced to wear all day. The cool evening air felt wonderful on his now exposed skin. He rested his head back against the wall and let out a content sigh. It felt so much better not to have it flapping against his face in the wind. He'd wished all day he could rip the stupid thing off, as it felt ridiculous to have something on his face in the first place. Wearing a veil again, as he'd had to last time, was just as inconveniently annoying as he remembered.

From his peripheral vision, he saw someone come around the corner of the rectangular placed walls of the desert town. Quickly he grabbed the veil and put it up in front of his face, fumbling to get the back of it over his head while looking the opposite way.

"It's just me." A familiar voice said a moment later. "I thought you might be out here."

He turned to see Zelda cross the short distance between them, then sit down at his side. Link felt relief that it was only her, and not someone else to wonder why he was so frantically throwing the veil over his head. Zelda reached over and pulled it off, setting it in the sand between them.

"I'm sorry about earlier." He heard her say. Link blinked as he looked at the princess. He had never heard her apologize for anything, to anyone. The words sounded strange in her voice. He looked over and met her blue-green eyes.

"Princess, it's I who should say sorry. I was severely out of line to question your authority. I deeply apologize for my unacceptable behavior."

He said, forgetting once again to call her by her first name. But didn't look annoyed this time, but she sighed and shook her head, closing her beautiful eyes for a couple of seconds before meeting his once more. He didn't expect her next words.

"I should not have acted as I did either." Zelda raised her hand and slowly brought it up to his shoulder to rest lightly. Link sat still as his thoughts left his mind. She'd never made such a gesture before, and her eyes looked remorseful . "Please accept my apology, Link."

"Already accepted, Zelda."

Zelda's troubled expression didn't leave her face after he answered. He could tell something was else was bothering her without having to ask.

"Why do you rarely talk to me, even when I talk to you?"

Link was surprised to hear her ask such a thing, and he had no idea how to respond. Zelda looked over to him after he failed to answer for a couple of moments. Her eyebrows raised as he scrambled through his thoughts for an answer that wouldn't sound rude.

"I honestly don't know what to say most of the time."

Silence filled the air as Zelda looked at him, clearly not satisfied with that answer, but Link had no idea how to go on from there. She looked away to the desert, and Link bit the inside of his cheek fustrated that he didn't have something better to tell her.

"I don't like this...space we have between us. I understand that you were assigned to be my personal guard before the Calamity, and we were always like this, but I didn't like it back then and I don't like it now. I want to be more than...what we are. I mean, more than just two people co-existing at each other's side. I'd like to know you, because right now I feel as if you are a stranger, even if I have spent so much time with you."

Link looked to her but Zelda didn't turn her eyes from the desert. She stared forward, looking either at something in the distance or at nothing at all. Her words cut through him oddly, bringing things to mind that he had never thought of until today. He'd felt that space too, but never said or did anything to bridge it together. Being next to Zelda's side always felt like a challenge. He didn't remember who he used to be or how things were before the Calamity, but from the way Zelda was speaking, they had always had this "space" between them. He didn't want it to be like that either. He felt relieved at her words.

"I'd like that too, Zelda."

She finally looked at him, a small smile forming on her lips. "Then let's stop this small talk stuff. Tell me something, it doesn't matter what. Whatever you want to say, I will listen."

So Link did, speaking more in the next several minutes than he had combined in the last few months. He told her about waking up in the Shrine of Resurrection and the disorientation that came with that along with having no idea what had happened to him. What it was like to have no memories, and Zelda listened and nodded as he continued, listening. Then he spoke of meeting an old man who later showed his real identity as the King.

"M-my father?" Zelda interrupted him, her eyes going wide and her lips parting. Her expression the definition of shock. Link nodded but his face fell in a frown.

"Yes. But he was a spirit when I met him. He explained to me what happened to the world and what I needed to do."

"Did...did he talk about me?" She asked quietly, her eyes losing the light that they had before.

Link shook his head, his own eyes growing heavy as a frown rested upon his lips. "I don't think he had much time, but I'm sure that he was thinking of you as he..." Link trailed off, not knowing how to finish that sentence and feeling that he'd already said the wrong thing as her eyes dropped from his and looked to her lap.

"I'm sorry, Zelda." He said sincerely, and she gave him her attention again after a couple of long moments.

"You don't have anything to apologize for. The world...it...it's my fault if anyone is to blame."

Link wished he hadn't brought this up. The lighter air that had formed temporarily between them was gone now, replaced by an awkward feeling he couldn't really describe. The memory of them running through the woods came to his mind, when she had cried. Somehow he knew the same thoughts she had expressed that day were probably running through her mind. He could hear her words again, stinging at his heart, filling him with the same feelings. He'd failed Hyrule too so he knew exactly how she felt.

"No, Zelda." He said, reaching over and tentatively took her right hand in his and she looked up. "I know things didn't end the way we planned...but you are not to blame for the Calamity. It was out of our control."

Link didn't know where he got those words from, but they spilled from his tongue before he knew he was saying them. He didn't know if what he was saying was true or not, but it sounded logical to his own ears. Zelda sighed softly, but she nodded.

"Thank you, Link. You're probably right." She said quietly, sounding unsure.

Zelda pulled her hand from his, which he had forgotten he had taken at all, and Link looked away as Zelda rested the back of her head against the wall behind her. Link looked up at the clear night sky, looking at the sparkling stars. It oddly reminded him of the necklace he got at the jewelry shop and he thought about giving it to her now, to try to lighten her mood. Worth a shot, at least. He thought pulling the pack he'd been carrying with him all day over from his side to dig for the small box at the bottom.

"Zelda."

"Yes, Link?" She said looking over to him.

"Um.. I know it's not for a couple days, and I don't know how I remember this if I'm right, but I got this for you." He said, holding out the tiny box with the silver ribbon between them. "Happy Birthday."

Zelda looked to the box before taking it, her eyes widening and blinking a couple times. "You are right. My birthday is in a couple days."

He watched as she slowly untied the ribbon and opened it, biting the inside of his cheek as his heart sped up a little. Link had no idea why he was getting so worked up over this, but he felt nervous anticipation as he watched Zelda unwrap her present. She unfolded the small, white silk cloth and her mouth dropped open in a gasp before picking up the small ruby necklace and putting the box down.

"Wow...this is so beautiful." She said, turning her head and looking to him, eyes sparking and her lips in a smile.

"I had no idea if you even liked jewelry."

"I'm usually not too big on it, but I really love this necklace. Thank you, Link."

Zelda scooted over and wrapped her arms around around him tightly. Suprised for a couple seconds he sat there before wrapping his arms around her too, smiling.

"You're welcome."


End file.
